Header reel



" INVENTOR. l

0a. 18, 1927.1 v I '1,645,856 I J. C. EICHELBERGER HEADER REEL Filed Nov. 8 1926 Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

Joann-c. EICHELBEBGEMOE sroclirom CALLEORNM: y

This invention relates to,V improvements inf reels such as are usedfin connection with the sickle bars of 'headersfto hold the grain iD plQpIf position` to; bef actd Von "the Seklbe audit@ than @ausethsrenas cui: tot@ deposited onto the header diaper.

rIzhe principal object of myfinventfion is toy providefareel for vuse with any. rain crop so-construted that thev grain'wiflbe caught anddrawn toward' the "sic'kle'bar in en' eerie-bf lrealti011Twitlutthe Chance ef the grain beging.V flattened v`downV during -this operation andfrom which the readily clear itself as deposited onl the drager. Y This, asy will lbe evident,`, isradically-different from. the operation' of dinaryf reels transversely.- ez'itending slats which tend to-flattensome of the grain down and' having various brace meiiibers which obstruct'the'free passageof the grain and prevent the same from readily clearing the reel. My improved reel not only prevents the grain from being fiattened and knocked down, as above stated, but tends to lift up anyl grain which has been previously flattened down and which would otherwise fail to be cut by thesickle.

A further object of the invention iste produce a simple and inexpensive deviceand yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such lstructure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. l is an end outline of an ordinary header frame showing my improved reel mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevationof the reel detached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference marked on the draw,-

ings, the header frame on which the reel is.

mounted includes as usual upper horizontal "end beams 1 and lower end beams 2 connected together to form a rigid unit. The beams 2 at their forward ends support the sickle bar structure indicated generally at 3, and a transverse draper 4 behind the -sickle bar and onto which the grain as cut by the latter is delivered. My improved reel, supported by the u per beams in the same position occupied y the usual reel,

ably @camedia a beafingfbbx fmt'fm setting relative to the axis of the drum, ask

enema REEL- s f Apphcatibnmed maar@ s, was.; serai, 145,952;

comprises www.' built upinfan'yfsfabe manner. The'drjini isfof' somewhatisjlfr'all" crojssfsectidn and isfpolygonal" sided instead ofcircular; preferably use'five equal vlength, ytlipiigh the use ofialglieitei' orjle'sser number of'sides is optional'. F`lE'ach ofthe, drum hasaspiiiIeGf"cent lly disposedtherein and arra;'Iigneclv to" l A Qu the, Corresponding fratrie l ttache'dto,y each sideY yflv Off'ltxll, drum Y S11-itam@ mefDS f and P'rjtg Outiff ly" beynd the 'same in. one' ldireictienirfa determined distance 'is a 'number-jef fingers 8 which are equal in lengtfhfA A parallel to each? other. arrangement, will be'evident, provides a spider-'like devicfe'with the fingers tangentia-lto fav` circle lconcentric with the spindles; Thedirtmjv itseiffeeuid be cylindrical but theflat" sided shiapef ob- .viously providesan easier means of'a'ttacliing the fingers thereto. The fingers are either rectangular or circular in cross sec-` tion, and in any case are sufficientlyl rigid so that they need no bracing or connections of the drum. The fingers are set at an acute angle to the axis of the drum or to the plane of longitudinal movement of the header. The angle of the fingers relative to their length is such as to cause a line projected at right angles to the drum through the outer end of any'finger to intersect the side of an adjacent finger a considerable distance outwardly of the drum, as indicated in Fig. 2. 'v i The drum is preferably twisted somewhat from end to end, so vthat the various side faces are slightly spiraled about the axis of the drum. This setting of the faces also causes the row of fingers attached to each face to also assume a corresponding'spira'l indicated'in Fig. 1. 100

The result is that as the wheel revolves with the forward movement of the header all standing grain passes between the outer ends of the descending fingers. As the grain engages the sloping sides of the fingers it is shifted laterally somewhat so that the outer ends of adjacent fingers overlap the grain. Therefore instead of the grain"V being flattened down itis maintained in an upright osition until the sickle bar cuts through t e same. With the rearward move ment. of the fngeis the cut grain of course Y falls onto the draper behind the sickle bar and there being no transverse slats o1" brace means between the sickles there is nothing to interfere with the positive and ready clearing of the fingers from the grain.

It will also be noted that as the lingers descend toward their lowermost position they will pass under and on account of their angular setting will raise any grain `which has been already flattened down, thus enabling such graingwhich is otherwise lost,

Ato be cut by the sickle bar anddelivered with the remainder onto the draper.`

The spiral setting of the fingers as above described causes the fingers inl a row, as they approach the sickle, to lie in transversely diverging relationship to `the sickle. This will cause the grain to be fed `to the sickle gradually from one end to the other thereof, instead of all at once. This of course will relieve the sickle of considerable operating strain, since all the cutters are not called upon to'cut simultaneously.

From the foregoingdescription it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth'in detail the present and preferred construction v of the device, still infpractice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure yfrom the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

` Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and'useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

1. A header reel comprising a central turnable elementt and a row of fingers along said element projecting outwardly from and secured to said element in spaced relation to each other, the fingers `being disposed at an angle of less than 90 degrees to the axis of the drum.

2. A head-er reely comprising a central turnable element, and a row of fingers along said element projecting outwardly from andsecured to said element in spaced' relation to each other, the fingers being disposed at an acute angle to the axisof the drum; the length of the fingers relative to said angle being such that a line projected through the outer end of any finger at rightV angles to the axisof the central element, will inten sect an adjacent finger intermediate its ends.

In testimony whereofl affix my signature.

JOHN c. EICHELBERGER. 

